Africa-Press – Malawi. The defence in the Buleya Lule case Monday asked for the appearance of the Director General of the Anti- Corruption Bureau Martha Chizuma in her capacity as former commissioner for the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC).
She is wanted to testify in a case involving 10 police officers that are suspected to have killed Lule while in custody. Speaking to the court, one of the defence lawyers, Lughano Mwabutwa, said Chizuma should be brought to court to testify in her capacity as a former commissioner.
He said it was important that Chizuma should be present at the court because she was involved in investigations into the death of Lule and, thereafter, the release of findings.
“It will be proper if the court grants us permission to have Chizuma testify on some of the things that are in the report.
“Most of the questions being posed are referring to the report. As such, Chizuma is better placed to elaborate on issues raised in the report,” Mwabutwa told the court.
In an interview, another defence lawyer, Enock Chibwana, said there was progress made in the case. He said they were in court so that the accused persons should testify in defence.
“So far, eight out of the 10 accused persons have managed to give their testimony in defence and we are only remaining with two accused persons. And we believe that by the time we meet again, the two will finalise giving their testimonies,” Chibwana said.
Senior State Advocate Dzikondianthu Malunda said the State is pleased with how the case is moving. However, Malunda said there was no need for the defence to bring Chizuma to court to testify in the case.
“We, as the State, see no use in having Chizuma come to the court and testify on the matter.
“However, it is not up to us to rule on the application,” Malunda said. Judge Chifundo Kachale ordered the defence to make an application to the court on Chizuma’s appearance.
Kachale then adjourned the case to March 28 2023, when he will make a ruling on the application made by the defence. Lule was arrested for his alleged involvement in the abduction of a boy with albinism in Dedza District.
He, however, died under mysterious circumstances in police custody in February 2019. Police investigations into his death led to the arrest of 13 police officers, who pleaded not guilty to charges levelled against them. The court acquitted three of them after they were found with no case to answer.
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